By Tony Oraeki, Awka
The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Anambra State Council, has resolved to boycott activities of Governor Chukwuma Soludo led government over alleged sour relationship.
This resolution was made in a statement raised at end of the monthly congress of the Chapel and signed by its Chairman, Chief Chuks Ilozue and the Secretary, Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika.
According to the statement, they arrived at the decision after reviewing their relationship with the governor and those of his media team, including the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu and the Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime, for over two years, despite several correspondences.
“There is a serious lacuna in the relationship between the chapel and government occasioned by nonchalant attitude of the governor, his government and his media team towards Correspondents’ Chapel.
“It baffles us that our governor can stay for two years without meeting members of the Correspondents Chapel to intimate Anambra people of his programmes and activities. Chapel members are bewildered that we are not being carried along in the coverage of government activities, rather we are fed with press releases/statements,” it stated.
The statement, however, demanded a review of the relationship to enable them hold government accountable as required by extant laws noting that if the sour relationship persists “we will deem it that the governor, his government and his media team do not need our relationship, and therefore we shall be left with no other option than to act accordingly.”
Instructively, the chapel comprises reporters of national dailies and broadcast stations not domiciled in Anambra state.
